Loved and Lost
by RainingLullaby
Summary: Being seventeen was not an ideal age to fall completely and utterly in love. Being a half ghost hero wasn't ideal either. Each was something he would never take back or regret. No matter how much pain each caused. Danny learned just how true it was better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. And he learned the hard way.


Hey everyone! So I started writing this about...two months ago? I then kind of forgot about it and was distracted with other things. Remembering it I finished it up! Fair warning though. This thing is LONG. Like, super long. As in a little over 8,000 words. I didn't think it would be that long when I first wrote it. I could have split it up, but I felt like it should stay as this one long story. I'm also giving this to you as a peace offering for my late update on Summer Sun and the also late, but not yet updated, Only One Thing.

Now, first things first. I don't own Danny Phantom, so let's just get that out of the way. I never have and probably never will.

**Warning!**There is a character death in this fic. **Warning!** See? I put it all in between these two warnings. And I underlined it for ya. If you didn't read this author's note with the huge bold words that I NEVER put in, then that's your fault when you get to that part. Another warning, if you cry easy, you are probably going to cry reading this. I don't cry easy. At all. Yet, I was on the verge of tears while writing the second half of this.

Enjoy!

* * *

Flying into his room, Danny collapsed onto his bed exhausted. Another night of fighting ghosts, another night of not doing homework, another night of confusion. His heart was still beating frantically from the encounter. Out of all the people the teen knew why did it have to be _him_? The way he felt for the man was undeniable and he couldn't change it no matter how much he tried. At this point he was just pathetic. Danny couldn't even begin to work up the courage in order to confess his feelings to his friends, let alone the person who is constantly making him a mess by said feelings.

Rolling over, the teen took deep breaths to help calm his heart. Not that would matter in about ten minutes when his thoughts would wander right back to where they were. His phone buzzed from a text and he reached over to grab it. _Vlad_. He should have known. The man always seemed to text him after their encounters, battle or no. Mentally slapping himself because of his giddy and extremely pathetic reaction to a _text message_, Danny unlocked his phone to read it.

_Are you okay, Little Badger? You didn't seem yourself tonight._

Heart jumping in his throat, a little gasp of surprise escaped. These were the messages he lived for. Every now and then Vlad would actually be sincere and show he cared, even if it's just a little. Danny ate those moments up and burned them to his memory. Typing a reply he hit send.

**I'm fine, just a little stressed is all.**

Less than a minute later his phone buzzed once again.

_It's no surprise you're stressed; being half ghost and living with parents who are ghost hunters. Just remember Daniel, that despite our differences, I am still here to help you anytime you need it. _

His heart fluttered at the offer. It was always so tempting to just go to Vlad. In reality, even before he fell in love with the man, Danny had always wanted to go to him. The man was the only other half ghost and they shared an undeniable bond neither would talk about. It was something Danny feared and enjoyed. The desire to go to Vlad seemed to be at an all time high, but he was too afraid of rejection, so he just stayed in his room.

**I know and I still find it hard to believe you would help me…without some kind of plan behind it. You are evil, you know, kind of hard to know if you are telling the truth or not.**

_Despite what you may think I do not always have some kind of plan up my sleeve. I'm sure you have noticed that lately? Or are you still as clueless as ever?_

What? Why was Vlad calling him clueless? Wait…his friends called him that a lot whenever he didn't catch onto someone's feelings or figure out their actions right away. Maybe he was missing something that Vlad was doing? Heart rate speeding up and breathing becoming shallow, Danny dared to hope. The things Vlad had been doing for the past few months seemed to click into place. The schemes had stopped. Hatred for his father and lust for his mother seemed to have died away. Their battles became more of a dance than a fight. Perhaps the older halfa felt the same way?

Shaking his head, Danny pushed the thoughts away. It just wasn't possible. But then again, half ghosts weren't supposed to be possible either; Vlad and Danny were both half ghost. With a small sigh, he sent one last text to the other hybrid before going to sleep. He could worry about this another time.

**Whatever Fruitloop. As long as it doesn't involve my family, at this point I don't care.**

Once the message was sent, he laid down to get some decent sleep. Hoping that despite the amount of sleep he was getting, he would still be able to stay awake. He had to. It was his senior year and he wasn't doing too well. At this rate he wasn't even going to graduate. Sighing, he snuggled closer into the blankets and drifted off.

Strong hands caressed his body, awaking a heat that had been clawing to get out. A small moan fell from his lips as the hands moved his clothes out of the way. They constantly changed from firm and possessive to soft and teasing. When his shirt was removed, soft lips joined the hands in a tantalizing dance across slowly heating skin. Kisses trailed up his chest and lingered on his neck. Kissing and lightly sucking, the lips caused his heart to speed up and breath to come out as pants.

His eyes ever closed, he didn't question who was the one pleasuring him. It just seemed to be assumed. With a groan Danny reached up and twisted his fingers into long, soft hair. This caused a small growl to come from between the lips and the hands moved steadily south. A tongue flicked out and touched the shell of his ear. Pleasure washed through him causing the heat to uncoil further south. The lips suddenly captured his in a hungry kiss. When a hand cupped him, he moaned allowing the tongue access. While the hand massaged his clothed erection, the tongue dominated his mouth, touching and memorizing every inch. As another moan escaped his throat, a mouth sucked on his lower lip. Arousal and pleasure crawled through his body.

When they broke apart, Danny finally opened his lust filled eyes to see the silver haired man leaning over him. Vlad's hair was loose from his hand twisted in the locks. A smug smile played on his face as he leaned down and placed his lips next to Danny's ear. The hand that was massaging him began to move and slip inside the teen's pants. Just as a firm hand was about to touch the teen's erection, the older hybrid began to whisper hotly in the sensitive ear. "Are you still clueless Daniel? Or do I need to continue to show you?"

With a jolt, Danny sat up in bed, awakened from his dream. Taking a few minutes, he took deep, steady breaths to calm down. Groaning, he rubbed his face with his hand; another one of those dreams. He couldn't escape his feelings even in his sleep. When he went to move he noticed the hard on from his erotic dream. With a flush of embarrassment, he quickly got up and moved to his bathroom.

After taking care of it and then a shower afterwards, he got ready for school. Today was Friday, but with the chance of detention for his uncompleted homework, it was just like any other day of the week. Since his dream woke him up earlier than normal, he actually had time to eat breakfast; as long as no ghosts attacked that is.

Grabbing his favorite cereal, a bowl, spoon and milk, Danny sat down at the kitchen table. Pouring the Frootloops, he made a mental note that he should probably never let Vlad catch him eating them. That would spell disaster and more. While he was eating, a thought crossed his mind. Tucker and Sam were busy tonight, so he didn't have any plans. Maybe he could go visit Vlad? He could tell the man how he felt, get it over with, get rejected and then finally move on. Hopefully. Knowing his luck, it wouldn't be that easy. Things with Vlad are _never_ easy.

Putting his bowl in the sink, he made his way out the door and towards school. It looks like he might actually be on time for once. That was until half way there, a cool mist passed his lips. A groan quickly followed as Danny ran into an alleyway to change into Phantom. Not two seconds afterwards, strong arms grabbed him from behind. After struggling for a minute, he quickly phased out of the iron grip and spun around, sliding into a battle stance.

"Vlad?!" His heart sped up and he relaxed a little. "What the hell? Can't you see I'm trying to make it to school on time for once?" In actuality, he would skip school anytime just to see Vlad.

A chuckle left the man as he looked down upon the younger halfa. "Why Daniel, when _was _the last time you weren't late for school?" He raised an amused eyebrow when Danny refused to answer. "Alright then, one more day wouldn't hurt now, would it?" He was confused. If Vlad wasn't attacking him, why else would he be late? Apparently it showed, because the older hybrid chuckled once again. "Come, we have something to discuss. Or would you prefer to spend your time in a building filled with obnoxious teenagers getting chastised by teachers who misunderstand your tardiness and nonexistent homework?"

A scowl jumped on his face, but Danny couldn't deny it. With anticipation, he followed Vlad through town to the man's mansion. This one was smaller than the one in Wisconsin, but still ridiculously huge. The man was no longer mayor, hadn't been for about two years. Yet, he remained in Amity Park, probably to torment Danny on a near daily basis. Not that he minded anymore; he actually looked forward to the visits. Even if it ended with him going home with a few extra bruises.

Vlad flew through the mansion with Danny following closely behind. He stopped in the living room and transformed back into his human half, Danny following suit. Confusion was coursing through Danny. What in the world did Vlad need to talk about? If this was a join me speech then he would probably scream in frustration. The older man took a seat in the only chair while the young hybrid made himself comfortable on the couch.

"Judging by your expression, you are confused as to why you are here?" Vlad questioned, though it was more of a statement.

"Well, duh. It's not like we ever just sit down and talk. Not to mention I have no clue as to what 'we have to discuss.'" This all just seemed random to Danny. There were very few times the two actually sat down and had a normal, decent conversation. He loved them and treated each as a treasure. Sighing, he leaned back into the couch while crossing his arms over his chest.

A genuine laugh came from Vlad at his response. Blushing, Danny couldn't help but stare with his heart fluttering. "That is true. We don't converse much outside of our battles. However, you are still as clueless as ever." A smirk appeared on his lips then. Danny just stared, once again confused. Vlad said basically the same thing last night in his text. Just what is he talking about? A small sigh came from the older hybrid before he continued.

"Daniel, I know about your feelings for me." Shock coursed through Danny. What? Vlad _knew_? "Don't look so surprised. You have quite a habit of wearing your emotions on your face for everyone to see. It's quite cute in some ways." He startled at that. Did Vlad just call him cute? His jaw fell as he tried to form some words. Nothing was coming out of his mouth, nothing coherent anyway.

"What…? B-But…I…huh?" Nothing, but one thing, would explain Vlad's behavior at this moment. And Danny refused to hope for that one thing to actually be true. Not to mention it was practically impossible. Wasn't it?

Vlad laughed once again. "As articulate as always, aren't we?"

His mouth worked then, "Shut up." A furious blush leapt on Danny's face. Pulling his legs against his chest, he hid his face against his thighs. "How long?"

"How long what, Daniel? You need to specify." Pompous arrogant billionaire.

"How long have you known about…my feelings?" Danny stumbled at the last part. It was hard to admit to himself, let alone the person these feelings centered around.

"Hm…probably as long as you have." His face shot up out of hiding to gape at Vlad. That was practically a year! The blush deepened and spread all the way to his ears. "Back to the reason of why you are so clueless." Danny's fear returned. If Vlad knowing Danny's feelings without the teen being aware wasn't the reason why he was clueless then what was? "Despite the hints I have given you, you still haven't figured it out. Not that I blame you really, I didn't start giving the hints until a few months back. You also aren't very observant."

Danny groaned. "Vlad would you just get to the point and stop dragging it out?"

"I love you, Daniel." Momentarily losing control of his powers, Danny fell through the couch and hit the floor. What did Vlad just say? His heartbeat sped up and his breathing became somewhat shallow. The man just watched with curiosity, not saying a word as he let the confession sink in.

Slowly pulling himself out the couch, Danny stood up and walked over to the chair the older hybrid had made himself comfortable in. His legs were no longer able to hold him up so he got on his knees in front of Vlad. Then promptly hid his face in the man's lap. A soft chuckle came from above as a hand ran through his hair. "What the hell Vlad? Why didn't say something earlier?" Danny worked hard to calm his heart, but it just kept its fluttering pace.

"As much as I wanted to, little badger, I couldn't. You were only sixteen and therefore couldn't legally consent to being in a physical relationship with me. There were already going to be difficulties and I didn't want to make it anymore complicated. So I waited until you turned seventeen before I started doing anything." A laugh came from Vlad at that part. "However it seems you weren't able to pick up the hints, even though I wasn't being very subtle about it."

Danny turned his head to the side so Vlad could hear him better. "You liking me back just seemed so…outrageous. I thought I was just imagining the hints and so I kept ignoring them." Lifting up his head, sapphire eyes gazed into midnight blue. "It looks like I wasn't imagining things at all." A bright smile lit up his face and Vlad returned it.

Danny's heartbeat sped up when the older hybrid began to lean down. His breath hitched and eyes fluttered closed just before their lips made contact. Sparks flew through him, alighting the fire he had kept buried deep. Their lips moved like silk against the others. Passion coursed through Danny at the contact.

Vlad grabbed the teen's waist and pulled him onto his lap. Straddling the man's legs, Danny started unbuttoning the suit jacket and pushing his hands beneath it. One of Vlad's hands danced down Danny's back and then grabbed his ass, giving it a firm squeeze. A gasp escaped the teen's lips and the older hybrid took the chance to slip his tongue in. The tongue danced through his mouth, touching every inch. When he tentatively reached out with his own tongue, a small moan came from Vlad. The older hybrid then reached down with his free hand to cup Danny. Breaking the kiss, a lustful, needy moan escaped from him at the contact.

Surprise pumped through him when he was suddenly falling into soft sheets. Opening his eyes, he noticed they were in Vlad's bedroom. Did the man teleport them here? His thoughts scattered when lips crashed once again onto his, a tongue fighting his own for dominance. A moan fell from his mouth as Vlad's hands phased his shirt off and began stroking his skin. Figuring out how to use his fingers again, Danny went back to taking off the older man's jacket and vest, quickly followed by the red silk shirt.

As their chests touched, the skin on skin contact caused them both to moan. Pleasure spiked through the teen's spine and arousal shot towards his lower stomach. A hiss parted his lips as Vlad rubbed their erections together. The older hybrid began sucking on his neck as he writhed in pleasure. Wrapping his arms around the billionaire's neck, Danny moaned and panted beneath the man. A tongue danced across his skin before teeth grazed and then lightly bit down on his shoulder.

"Vlad…ah!" Moans fell from his lips as the billionaire sucked on his neck. His hands tangled themselves in the soft silver hair. Pulling out the hair tie, Danny let the silver strands flow freely. After tossing the rubber band, the teen pulled on the older hybrid's hair when the moist tongue on his chest lapped at his erect bud. His back arched when teeth grazed the bud before moving onto the other one, giving it the same treatment. All the while the wonderful hands never stopped their exploration. Seeming to touch every inch of his body, while at the same time not touching enough.

Danny was panting harshly and trying to control his breathing. Rough, yet gentle, hands made their way across his body. Alternating between firm and soft caused shivers to run down his spine. The teen moaned when the teasing hands ran over his legs and caressed his thighs. "Ahhh…Vlad. Please…" He loved the way the man was touching him, but Danny didn't want to be teased. Which the billionaire probably had every intention of doing. His hard on was throbbing painfully in its confines, demanding attention.

"Please what, Daniel?" He saw the smirk on the older hybrid's face. Vlad then began to unbutton his pants. Using his teeth, he achingly slowly pulled down the teen's zipper. His mouth going dry, the ghost hero tried to swallow. Pleasure was coursing through him and his mind was hazy. Once his jeans were to his knees, he just kicked them off instead of waiting for Vlad to finish his slow pace. A chuckle came from the billionaire. "Impatient, are we?"

"Shut up and just fuck me already!" Vlad stopped his hand an inch from the waistband of Danny's green boxers where a bulge was very apparent. Danny looked down confused until his boxers were phased off and his throbbing member was in the man's mouth. The teen screamed and tried to squirm, but firm hands kept his hips in place. He loved the feeling, but it was so unexpected and the billionaire had given him no warning. The tongue that had been assaulting his chest slid around his shaft. Small moans fell unhindered from his throat as he gripped the sheets.

When Vlad swallowed around him, he cried out once again. "Vlad!" The familiar coil and heat filled his lower stomach. The older hybrid decreased his ministrations to slow the process. Danny whined and wrapped one of his hands in the tumbling silver hair. There was a small pop sound and a few seconds later, cool liquid was at his entrance. Given no chance for his lust filled mind to figure it out, Vlad inserted a finger and began stretching him. A small gasp of pain escaped the teen's lips, but the billionaire was once again using his mouth to wrap around his throbbing member.

Once his moans filled the room again, a second finger was added. The teen winced at the sensation for a moment, but was once again easily distracted by the warm mouth on his pulsating erection. Moans tumbled from his throat, past his lips and into the room. His harsh breathing accompanied the lustful sounds. Danny began rocking his hips to meet the thrusts of the billionaire's fingers to gain more friction.

All of the sudden the slick digits were gone. The ghost hero whined at the emptiness. "Vlad…I need…you," he uttered between breaths. He then felt something much larger than fingers at his tight entrance. His glazed sapphire eyes looked up to meet equally hazy cobalt blue. Danny then noticed that the older hybrid was as naked as he. When did that happen?

"Of course Daniel. I need you too." There was a smug, yet loving grin, on the billionaire's face. A warm hand cupped his cheek as the man leaned down and captured his already bruised lips in his once again. Vlad's throbbing member slowly made its way into the tight, wet heat and the man couldn't hold back a small moan. Groaning, Danny threw himself into the kiss, focusing on that instead of the intrusion. Right now, pain was overriding the pleasure. Thankfully, once Vlad was all in, he didn't move, allowing the teen to adjust. As the pain subsided, Danny realized the feeling wasn't weird or foreign, like he somewhat expected, but it felt right to be like this with Vlad. Like they were two pieces of a puzzle finally being put together. The thought sent a small shiver through him. Pleasure starting to overcome the pain.

All of a sudden the billionaire ground his hips and a loud moan fell from his throat. The older hybrid took that as a cue to move. His thrusts were steady and gentle. "Ahh…Vlad…" Danny reached his hand out to grab the billionaire's. When Vlad gripped his hand in the ghost hero's, he placed a light kiss on the pale fingers. Never once faltering in his rhythm. The small blush staining the teen's cheeks grew to include his ears. Midnight blue gazed into sky blue, love and affection in each pair of orbs.

Vlad's thrusts started to change angle and before long a jolt went through Danny. A small scream tore its way through his throat. Small stars littered his vision as Vlad continued to thrust into that spot. "Ah! Vlad…fuck…" Danny's breathing became even harsher, turning into pants. Vlad then bit a little roughly on his shoulder, the pain somehow pleasurable, sent shivers through his body.

"Language, little badger." Vlad gave him a smirk as he lifted up one of the teen's slim legs. Danny was going to retort, until the man went deeper and his spot was hit dead on over and over. A cry tumbled from his lips mixed with pants and the billionaire's name. He twirled his free hand in the older hybrid's hair, giving it a small tug every now and then. Whenever he did so, Vlad would moan slightly. Danny wanted to hear more from the man, but the familiar coil and heat was in his lower stomach. He wasn't going to last much longer.

"Vlad…c-close…" he gasped out between moans and pants. A warm hand grabbed his neglected erection and started pumping. His moans became louder, and after a few more thrusts, he came all over Vlad's hand and their stomachs with a scream. Two thrusts later, the billionaire came inside him while saying the teen hero's name and Danny let out a moan at being filled up. They rode out their orgasms with hot pants and slow thrusts.

Danny winced when Vlad pulled out. The billionaire laid next to him and pulled him close. He snuggled into the offered chest and let out a content sigh. A small chuckle came from the body next to his. Looking up, he saw Vlad smiling. He gave his own smile as the older hybrid kissed his nose. A warm hand stroked his cheek and Danny couldn't help but lean into the touch. It felt as if he was on cloud nine. Gazing into the cobalt eyes, the teen felt his heart swell. He was actually here with Vlad; it wasn't a dream.

"I love you fruitloop." A small, surprised look crossed Vlad's face before a grin took over. The older hybrid placed a chaste kiss on his lips.

"I love you too, my little badger." Danny blushed at the possessiveness and couldn't help the feeling it gave him. To have Vlad be possessive of him made the teen happy beyond belief. He nuzzled into the crook of the billionaire's neck and breathed in the older hybrid's smell. Musky, mixed with the scent of a light fragrance. Was it Vlad's cologne? Or his shampoo?

A small yawn escaped the teen as his eyes began to feel heavy. The billionaire's warm hand ran through his hair, lulling him to sleep. "Sleep, Daniel. I will wake you up later," Vlad assured with a small kiss to his raven hair. Nodding slightly, the ghost hero drifted off, pleasant dreams eagerly dancing into place.

Light filtered into the window and spilled onto the teen's face. The bright light made him groan and shift, trying to cover his eyes with the blanket. A small chuckle resounded around the room before the black silk sheet was ripped off. An annoyed sound tumbled from his lips before he shoved his face under a pillow. A warm body pressed into his back and large hands rubbed soothing circles on his arms. The pillow was pulled off his head and lips touched his cheek in a light kiss.

"Daniel, it is time to wake up." An incoherent mumble passed through the teen's lips before he snuggled into the bed. The laugh that left the man reverberated through his body, giving the ghost hero a pleasant feeling. "What was that?"

Danny turned his head to the side so he could be heard better. "I don't want to get up."

"I'm afraid you have to, little badger. I already made you miss school and it is going on one. You cannot sleep the day away." Vlad pulled away and climbed off the bed. Danny sat up and stretched, noticing a dull pain in his lower back and behind. Looking at the billionaire, he saw him starring hungrily. A small blush leapt to his face as the teen remembered he was naked. And then he remembered all that they had done and said earlier in the day.

A warm hand ruffled his hair. Looking through the locks falling into his eyes, he saw Vlad had a warm smile on his face. "Why don't you go hop in the shower? I will have lunch ready when you get out." He placed a light kiss on the teen's lips before turning around to walk out of the room. With his heart fluttering and warmth spreading through him, Danny jumped in the shower, eager to spend more time with the billionaire.

_Six months later…_

Danny shivered as the wind blew past him. Even though it was late April, almost May, the chill was still in the air. It had gotten better during the day, but when the sun was setting, all of the cold from winter seemed to creep back in for the night. Pulling his light jacket closer to himself, the teen hurried to his destination. He would have gone ghost earlier, but lots of people were out and finding a secluded spot had been difficult. So Danny had just given up and decided to walk.

The billionaire's mansion began to loom into view the further Danny walked into the wealthy part of town. Excitement coursed through him at being able to see his boyfriend. It had been about a week since their last date and the teen was growing impatient. He had been busy studying for final exams and Vlad had been busy with his companies. With his test scores in his pocket and pride in his heart, the ghost hero pulled out his key to open the gate.

Once he was through the front door he just flew to find his lover. Danny could now use most of his powers in a weakened state while human. It was all thanks to the older hybrid. When they had became lovers, the man started to train him with his powers. Turns out that the teen was a fast learner and no longer needed such intense sessions. They still sparred about once or twice a week to keep themselves on their toes. It was a lot of fun as well.

A silver ponytail caught his attention in the billionaire's personal study. Smiling, Danny landed with a soft tap on the floor. Without glancing up from his paperwork, Vlad gave a smile and greeting. "Welcome Daniel. I will be just a few more moments," he assured while waving a hand towards the chair near him. Danny sat down with a plop and rested his head in his hand on the edge of the desk. Watching the billionaire work, Danny's thoughts roamed.

The man had made some huge changes in the ghost hero's life. He was now a better fighter and had more control over his powers. The teen's grades were now beyond just passing and were actually fairly decent. The older hybrid helped him fight ghosts, so he had more free time. Which he normally spent with Vlad, but it was still nice. College was now an option. When they had first got together, it wasn't even on the list. It may sound cheesy, but because of Vlad, Danny knew what love truly was. Even though he was young, he knew he loved the man with all of his being. He knew he would love Vlad forever. The thought brought a goofy, loving grin to his face.

Vlad happened to glance over and saw the look. Chuckling, he leaned down and placed a quick kiss on his lips. Before he could pull away, Danny wrapped his arms around the older hybrid's neck and brought their lips back together. Warm arms snaked around his torso to hold him close as they kissed. It was slow and tender, but Danny loved these kisses the most. These weren't about lust; they were about showing their love for one another.

Pulling away breathless, Vlad kissed the tip of his nose before smiling down at him. "It appears you missed me," he said with a smirk. Danny laughed before nuzzling his face into the crook of the older ghost's shoulder. Breathing in the unique scent, he felt himself become complete once again. It was always hard to be away from Vlad, no matter how much time they spent together. Their relationship was a secret as well, so they didn't get to spend as much time together as they would have liked. A small frown appeared on the teen's face. When would they tell his parents and friends? Him dating a guy would be difficult enough, but the age difference and the fact it was _Vlad Masters_ would probably not go over well with anybody.

The billionaire seemed to notice the look, as he kissed the spot on Danny's forehead where he had scrunched up his face in worry. "What's wrong, my little badger?" Smiling a little at the possessive pet name, Danny pulled away enough so Vlad could hear him.

"We still haven't told anybody about our relationship." A small sigh before he continued. "I'm tired of lying to them, but I'm a little scared of what they will do," he admitted. A warm hand pulled out the small ponytail and ruffled the coal black hair. As his hair fell into his eyes, he glanced through the strands to see Vlad smiling down affectionately at him.

"Everything will be okay Daniel. I promise. Your family and friends will love you no matter what, even if it takes them a while to get used to the idea of you dating me." Vlad smirked down at him while running his fingers through Danny's growing hair. The teen had decided to take after the billionaire's style and tried to grow a ponytail, but it was slow going, as his hair didn't grow very fast. Still, he could fit some of it in a hair tie, and that had made him immensely happy when he found that out.

As the older hybrid pulled him into a kiss, Danny let the worries flow from his mind. Oh how he had missed this for the past week. That was when he remembered his grades. Pulling away with a smile, he reached into his pocket as Vlad had a curious look on his face. Danny handed the man the piece of paper and waited. As the billionaire scanned the report card, his eyes lit up with pride and love. The warm hand returned to ruffling his hair.

"Wonderful job, my little badger," he praised. The ghost hero just looked at him with a huge grin. "I told you, you could do it." The older ghost handed the paper back for Danny to show his parents. He was able to graduate with these grades and GPA. It had been hard, and if it wasn't for Vlad, it never would have happened. The billionaire placed an affectionate kiss on the tip of his nose, chuckling when the teen wrinkled his face.

* * *

Something felt off. Danny couldn't place it, but he had a sense of dread course through him. As he landed, he let the white rings slide over his body before he came out of the alleyway. He had been patrolling, but the feeling was just too strong for him to continue. It didn't feel like a ghost, but…Vlad! Ice shot through his veins as he ran towards the mansion.

Sirens slowly began to stir in the distance. His heart began to pump madly in his chest as he ran back into the alleyway and transformed once again. Why was it so hard to sense Vlad? Danny could normally somewhat feel Vlad even from Fenton Works and he was a lot closer to the mansion right now. Fear and dread kept him flying faster than ever.

As a horrible car wreck come into view, Danny's heart sank. _Please don't be Vlad, please don't be Vlad_. He chanted in his mind. The closer he got, the more terrified he became. Metal and glass was everywhere, as two cars seemed to have melded into one. The road as completely blocked off because of the crash. With horror, Danny realized that one of the cars was Vlad's.

Landing and peering in, Danny saw that the chauffeur was dead from being hit head on. Adrenaline pumped through him, making his heart beat like mad in his chest. He couldn't open the back door, as it was totally pushed in, so he phased in. A gasp left his throat as he saw Vlad, lying across the seat, blood pooling everywhere. Reaching out, he tried to feel a pulse. Nothing. Pressing his fingers a little hard and a little further down, he felt the faint pumping of the man's heart. A spark of hope shot within him as he picked up the man as gently as he could and flew him to the nearest hospital.

Adrenaline never ceased as he flew and landed right in the middle of the emergency room. "Please! Somebody, please help him!" He shouted, as at first the nurses looked at him with terror, but upon seeing it was Danny Phantom and then the man covered in blood, they leapt into action. A stretcher was pulled towards him and he gently placed Vlad down. His heart broke in two as he glanced at the man in the light of the hospital. They wheeled him off as two doctors came and looked at him.

It was all so fast paced that Danny felt he was moving in slow motion. When the nurses wouldn't let him into the room with his lover, he almost protested before he remembered he was in ghost form. Flying off to the bathroom, he noticed he was covered in Vlad's blood…quickly shaking his head to get rid of the waves emotions threatening to drown him, he transformed back, a little relieved that the blood was gone as he didn't have to time to deal with it.

Almost running back to the room with his lover, Danny reached it and tried to go in, but they immediately stopped him. Saying family only was allowed, the nurses had solemn looks on their faces. With his heart continually pumping at a fast pace, he yelled at them. "I'm the only one he has! I'm his boyfriend and he doesn't have _any_ family! Let me in!" They exchanged looks before letting him into the room.

Running in, Danny stopped behind the nurses and doctors. They had slowed their actions, but Danny didn't notice. All he saw was the man he loved on the edge of death. He almost wanted to laugh as the billionaire was already half dead. Walking up, he gripped the billionaire's hand in his. Tears threatened to spill at the sight of him. Hope beat faintly in his chest when Vlad slowly opened his eyes.

"Vlad! It's all right, everything's going to be okay. You're at the hospital now and-" Danny stopped when Vlad gave a small smile. His heart felt as if it might break in two at the sight. Gripping the hand tightly in his, he just stared into the cobalt orbs. The emotions swirling there made his heart beat hard in his chest as cracks seemed to form.

A weak hand reached up and cupped his cheek. Dread filled Danny's stomach as he saw something in the man's face. The teen didn't notice the doctors and nurses move away from his bed. "Daniel, my little badger, I love you. Always have and always will." Danny placed his own hand over the one on his cheek. He was worried by how weak Vlad's voice was, yet it was strong with his words.

"I love you too my fruitloop," Danny said as tears slowly spilled over his eyes. Vlad smiled and took a slow labored breath. The teen's heart clenched painfully in his chest at the sight.

"Promise me something little badger." The young hybrid just nodded hurriedly as he leaned closer, unable to trust his voice. "Always be happy, for me." Another labored breath as Danny watched and listened closely. What was Vlad talking about? Of course he would always be happy. He would be with Vlad. How couldn't he be happy with that? The tears flowed down as his body knew what was coming, yet his mind didn't want to admit it.

"I promise." Leaning down, he captured the man's lips with his in a sweet and gentle kiss. As he moved away, he felt Vlad's thumb caress his cheek to wipe away the tears. His heart was pounding painfully in his chest as his stomach twisted into knots. "I love you Vlad," Danny whispered as nuzzled the hand on his cheek.

Vlad smiled as he gazed at the teen. His eyes slowly closed and Danny gripped the hands tighter. "Vlad?" Danny chocked out. When they went lax and the heart monitor was one long beep, Danny's eyes went wide. "Vlad?! No no no, please, Vlad!" His voice was climbing higher in pitch as he spoke. Fear and desperation filled him. "No! You can't die fruitloop! You can't!" Danny gently shook the hands and tears flowed even more heavily down than before. "Please," he cried as he ran his fingers through the soft silver locks. "Don't go Vlad…don't go…" Danny pleaded with his heart breaking.

In the background, Danny heard the low voices of the doctors and nurses. Then he heard some familiar ones. That was when a hand rested on his shoulder. He didn't pay any mind to it as he squeezed Vlad's hand and wished with all of his heart he would open his eyes. Voices filled his ears, but the only thing he could hear was the empty heart monitor and his own heart cracking further with each second that passed.

When the hand tried to get him to move, he just shoved it away. A few seconds or minutes later, he wasn't sure, large arms wrapped around his chest and stomach and pulled him away. Danny screamed and kicked and fought the arms. "No! I have to stay with Vlad! I can't leave!" He cried out. As Vlad faded from view, Danny felt sobs rack his body. "No! Vlad!" The teen screamed, trying to get out of the grip, but he felt weak. Giving up, he just went lax in the grip and sobbed, not noticing when the arms hugged him close to comfort him.

Vlad was gone. His fruitloop was gone. Forever. His heart shattered into millions of pieces as the tears never stopped flowing.

* * *

Danny stared down as they lowered the coffin into the ground. The tears continued to flow silently over his cheeks. Everyone but his family and friends had already left after giving their condolences. Danny moved the silver band around his ring finger as he watched, feeling some slight comfort from the cold metal. Today was the day he graduated. He wasn't going to go though. Danny wouldn't be able to make it through the whole ceremony. Once the coffin was settled, he leaned down and picked up a handful of dirt. Using his ice powers, he blew crystals onto it, almost in the form of a kiss. One last kiss.

Letting the dirt fall out of his hand, Danny watched at as it tumbled down and onto the expensive wood. A warm hand was on his shoulder. Not looking, he just let it sit there. "Danny? Are you ready to leave?" A soft voice asked. Sam's. Taking a deep breath, the teen turned towards his friend.

Giving a small, sad smile, he nodded. He could see the concern in her eyes. The worry. But he didn't comment on it. There was no point to. Danny didn't even have the energy to try to lie and say he was okay. Not when he felt anything but. Turning around, he ignored the looks and worried faces. They didn't understand. None of them did. Even after he explained it to them.

Before the funeral, Vlad's lawyer had made an appointment with Danny. Apparently, the billionaire left everything to him. Including his companies and possessions. If the teen wanted, he could take over the companies when he turned twenty-three. He was to be given a stipend every week to pay for any expenses or things he wanted. Danny would have full access to the fortune one year after Vlad's death. His college would be pulled out and paid for when needed. The lawyer and the billionaire's right hand man are to take care of the money and company until Danny is of age.

The last thing the lawyer gave the teen were two letters and a black ring box. One letter was to be opened right after the funeral. The other, on the one year anniversary of his death. Danny had broken down when he opened the ring box. It was an engagement ring with a small note inside. Vlad was going to propose on his graduation day. This day. After pulling himself together, the young hybrid had slipped on the ring and worn it ever since. It was a perfect fit.

Walking away from the grave, Danny felt hollow and empty. His heart continued to ache and every beat was painful. He wanted to read the letter, but wasn't sure if he could. The teen didn't know if he could handle what was written there. As they walked to the black limo, Danny felt the tears increase. Standing next to the door, he couldn't climb in. Taking a deep breath, he stepped away.

"Danny? Honey? What's wrong?" His mom asked with a concerned look. Danny looked at her, but couldn't say anything. The teen shook his head and just turned around and walked over to the nearest tree. Sliding down it, he sat beneath it. Watching as the workers filled the grave that held his lover. When someone approached him, he glanced up with his tear-streaked face.

Jazz stood over him, glancing down worriedly. "Little brother?" Danny looked back to the grave, fiddling with the letter in his suit pocket. Seeing him not open it, she crouched down and placed a warm hand on his shoulder. "You should read it Danny. It will be good for you. I promise." When he was about to ask he she knew, she just gave him a knowing smile and stood up. "We will be at home if you need us Danny." Jazz turned around and walked back to the limo, telling everybody it was time to go.

As a gentle breeze blew through his dark hair, Danny took a slow, deep breath. After the workers were finished and left, the teen pulled out the letter. Slowly opening it, he pulled out the folder paper. Closing his eyes, he readied himself to read it.

_My dearest Daniel,_

_If you are reading this it means I am no longer with you. I am sorry to have left you so soon, my little badger. But you know just as well as I do, that life can be very unpredictable. Our ghost halves were something neither of us predicted. Our love certainly was unexpected. You made me a much better man in the time we have been together than all those years of living before I had you. The love you showed and gave me washed away those twenty years of bitterness and hatred. You saved me from myself. I would eagerly go through that again if it means another chance to love and be loved by you. I know my passing will be difficult for you, but please, do your best to pick yourself up and move on. You are young and need to go out and live your life. Don't spend twenty years like I did, just drowning in my own grief. You deserve better than that. Even if you don't do this for yourself, please do it for me, little badger. I do hope you received the engagement ring and will wear it in memory of me._

_I love you so much, my Daniel._

_Love, Vlad._

_Your fruitloop._

Sobs tore from the teen's throat as he read the hand written letter. As he finished it, he cried even harder. Clutching it to his chest, Danny let the tears fall onto his suit. The breeze continued to twirl around him as the warm spring sun shone brightly in the sky. After a few minutes, Danny carefully folded the letter back up and put it back in the envelope. Standing up, he just let the tears continue to fall as the sobs slowly stopped.

For the first time since the accident Danny let the white rings flash and roam over his body. The chill ran across his skin as his ice core settled into place. Snow white hair fell into his eyes from his uncut hair. Pulling out Vlad's favorite hair tie, Danny pulled the strands back into a small ponytail. Taking a deep breath, he let his spectral tail appear and take place of his legs. Flying into the sky, the teen felt a slight bit of the pain ease.

After a few hours of flying, Danny landed into Vlad's home in Amity Park. The pain threatened to wash over him again, but after taking a few calming breaths, the young hybrid walked towards the study. It would be hard, but he was going to take over Vlad's companies when the time came. So, he needed to start looking into the best business universities. As Danny sat in the plush chair, he opened the laptop and typed in the password. Pulling open the top drawer to get a pen and paper to write them down, his hand froze over some letters.

Danny pulled them out and read the name on the front. His name. With university seals on them. Opening them up, he saw they were some of the top colleges mixed with some of the ones the teen had been looking at. Along with a few business ones scattered in there. All acceptance letters for him in the fall. But. How? The answer flashed in his mind. Vlad. When he was tutoring him, he made him write essays. A lot of them too. He said they were practice for Danny's college applications.

Danny laughed a little and gave a fond smile. Only his fruitloop would do something like this. Happy and sad tears fell down his face. Only Vlad would take care of him even after he died. Only Vlad. Danny held his ring-clad hand to his chest as he felt Vlad's love fill and comfort him.

* * *

So, what did you guys think? If you can't tell, I kind of like angst/hurt/comfort/anythingthatmesseswithDanny. I'm so mean to that kid. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! See ya in another story!


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